Trouble detector and electrical contactor through insulated conductors



C. MANTILLA THROUGH INSULATED CONDUCTORS 'iled March 16, 1939 INVENTOR.

Caf/os Manzla ATTORNEY.

.YmvY\V 1 9 1941s TROUBLE DETECTOR AND ELECTRICAL CONTACTOR Patented Apr. 1, 1941 'TROUBLE :DETECTOR AND ELECTRICAL ooNrAc'roR THROUGH INSULATED c'oN- DUCTORS Carlos Mantilla, New York, N. Y.

Application March 16, 1939, Serial No. 262,167

1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful imtaking device, for electrical circuits by means of penetrating the insulation and contacting the leads.

With specific reference to the electrical circuit trouble detector this invention contemplates the construction of a detector which is characterized by a pair of pivotally connected jaws, one of which is provided with a lamp socket into which a lamp may be screwed, and the other of which is adapted to be connected with an electric circuit plug so that when the jaws are close'd the lamp will light signifying that the circuit is al1 right. If the lamp does not light, it will mean that there is no current in the circuit.

Still further the invention proposes the provision vof a handle portion on each jaw element on the opposite side to their. pivot by which they may be manually moved.

Another one of the objects of this invention resides in so arranging the electric circuit plugs that they may be engaged into grooves formed in the jawpelement and may support the detector device in this position.

Still further the invention proposes a modified form embodying the apparatus in a shape to be used to contact each lead separately and form a different circuit.

Still further the invention proposes to arrange l pins or other pointed contact elements upon the jaw provided with the lamp socket,- Which contact elements are electrically connected'with the socket and adapted to close the circuit from the plugs to the socket when the jaws are closed.

Still further the invention proposes the construction of a trouble detector for electric circuits, in the form of a pair of pliers constructed from Bakelite or similar material and which is provided with cutaway portions upon the adjacent sides of the jaws through which electric wires are adapted to pass.

Still further it is proposed to provide` a plurality of metallic pins xedly mounted in one of the cutaway portions and extendable into the other of the cutaway portions for short circuiting the wires passing between the jaws to determine whether or not current is passing therethrough.

Still further the invention proposes the construction of a trouble detector for electric circuits characterized by a body member constructed of separate sections iixedly held together in face contact, and the provision of grooves extending along one of the adjacenty faces *for forming passages through which electric leads may be passed.

Still further it is proposed to provide the other of the sections with recesses extended inwards from its outer face and superimposed above said grooves.

Still further it is proposed to extend contact members through the section having the recesses in a manner so that one end of the contact members will extend into said grooves for contacting the electric leads passing therethrough whle the otherends of the contact inembers will be exposed Within said recesses to permit the said latter mentioned ends to be contacted for determining whether or not said leads are carrying electricity.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a trouble detector for electriccircuits constructed according to this invention.

Fig, 2 is a sectional View taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is an elevational View of a contact element connected through a fuse which may be substituted for the contact elements shown in Fig. 2, Fig. 4, and Fig. 8.

Fig. 4 is aV perspective view of a trouble detector for electric circuits constructed according to a modication of the invention.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectionalview on the line 6 6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 isla sectional View on the line 1--1 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of a modified form of this invention embodying the apparatus in a shape as to be used to contact the leads separately to` form a different circuit.

Fig. 9 is a sectional View on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. l0 is a sectional view on the line Ill- I0 of Fig. 8.

The trouble detector for electric circuits, according to this invention, comprises a pair of pivotally connected jaws l0 and Il, pivotally vconnected by a pintle l2. Each of these jaw elements has a handle portion on the side opposite to the pivot I2. The handle portion of' the jaw `|D is indicated by numeral IB, while that of the jaw by IIa. A spring I3 is mounted between the handle portions and acts to normally urge the handle portions apart and consequently the jaws apart.

An insulation member I4 is mounted on the jaw I0, and is superimposed over an insulation member I5 mounted on the jaw II. The insulation member I5 is formed with grooves I6 for receiving electric circuit plugs I1. may be secured upon a support I8 and have a dual function. plying electricity from a circuit not illustrated on the drawing; second, they are capable of supporting the trouble detector. be removed by merely gripping it by the .handle portions and pulling it oi the plugs.

A lamp socket I9, wires and 2|, and contact fingers 22 and 23 are mounted upon the other of said insulation members, namely, the member I4. The socket I9 is adapted to receive an electric light bulb 24 which is to be used for detecting trouble. The contactfingers are in the form of studs which are screwed into the insulation member I4 at positions directly above the grooves I6. The wire 2| connects the end contact I9a of the socket I9 with the contact finger 23. The wire 20 These plugs First, theyare `capable of sup- The detector may jaws for forming a passage between thejaws throughrwhich wires are adapted to be passed.

`A plurality of metallic pins 36 are mounted in I the cutaway portion of one of the jaws and are adapted to extend into the cutaway portion of the other of the jaws for short circuiting the wires passing between the jaws. As shown in the draw.- ing theimetallic pins 36 are mounted within the y cutaway portion in the jaw 3|) and extend into the cutaway portion in the jaw 3 I This is merely for the purpose of illustration and the metallic pins 3 6 may be mounted within the cutaway portion of the jaw 3| and extend into the cutaway portion of the jaw 30. In place of the pins 36 a single blade similar toa safety razor blade may be used.

connects the shell contact IlD of the socket I9 with the finger 22.' Each of the contact ngers have several pins 22a and 23a., respectively, which are removably held in position by set screws 25. These pins may be released when desired. They are located immediately above the grooves I6 and are adapted to engage the plugs for closl ing the electric circuit.

The grooves I6 are of dove-tailed form as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and are cooperative with the plugs I`| which are of a complementary shape.

Trouble in the electric circuit may be detected by squeezing together the handle portions llia and Ila. This causes the jaws to close and the contact pins 22a and 23Ev to connect with the plugs If there is current in the plugs I1, the lamp 24 will light, signifying that the circuit is all right. If, however, there is no current in the plugs the lamp will not light, indicating trouble in the circuit.

In Fig. 3 a modified form of contact finger 26 is illustrated. This contact finger has a fuse 26 from which a plurality of pins l26b project. The head, portion 26a may be glued into grooves m-ade in the insulation members I4 and 3|. The

electric lead to place the contact fingers in the electric circuit may be soldered to the inner face of the head 26a.

According to the modification of the invention shown in Figs. 4-'1 inclusive the trouble detector for electric circuits includes a pair of jaws 30 and 3| pivotally connected together by means of a pin 32. The jaw 3|) is formed with a handle portion 3|!a which extends to the other side of the pivot 32 and jaw 3| is formed with-a similar handle 31a which extends to the other side of The drawing illustrates that the jaws 30 and 3|, as well as their respective handle portions, are constructed from insulation material such as Bakelite or other similar material but the jaws may be constructed from a metallic substance and have insulation material set into the adjacent edges thereof and the cutaway portions may be formed in the insulation material.

The operation of the device is as follows:

For determining'whether or not a set of electric leads are carrying a current the handle portions 3llEL and 3|a are adapted to be squeezed together for separating the jaws 30 and 3|. This permits the set of electric leads to be engaged into the cutawayportions 34 and 35. When the leads are aligned with these cutaway portions the handles 3|'.la and 3|a may be released to permit the spring 33 to return them to their normal position which will cause the metallic pins 36 to pierce the insulation on the electric leads to contact the wires to short circuit them.`

According to the modification of the invention shown in Figs. 8-10 inclusive the trouble detector for electric circuits includes a body member 40 constructed of separate sections 40jand 40|. These sections are constructed from insulation material and are xedly held together in fac'e contact by means of a bolt 4I which passes axially therethrough.

5. One of the sections, namely, the section 40bis 'formed with a pair of parallel grooves 42 which extend across one of the adjacent faces for forming passageways through which the electric leads .portion of the outer face ,of `the section 40a.

-Each of the recesses ,43, is superimposed above one .of the4 pair of grooves 42. vContact members 44 are mounted through the sectionhaving-therecesses 43 and each of the contact members has one of its ends extending into one of the pair of grooves 42 and the other of its ends exposed within the recesses 43 so that the portions exposed within the recesses may be contacted for short circuiting the electric leads passing through the grooves 42 to determine whether or not the electric leads are carrying a current.

The ends of the contact members which extend into the grooves 42 are formed with enlarged heads 44a and a plurality of projecting pins 45 are attached to the free face of the heads 44 for contacting and tightly bearing against the leads passing through the grooves 42 for making a positive contact therewith. 'I'he other ends 44b of the contact members 44 are bent upon themselves and the adjacent faces of these portions are slightly spaced from each other for giving the bent over end a slight resiliency so as to tightly engage against the members inserted into the recesses 43 for making a. positive contact therewith to short circuit the wires.

The operation of this form of the device is as follows:

The body member 40 is iixedly attached upon the electric leads of an electric circuit by removing the bolt 4| and baring a portion of the elec'- tric leads at points where they are adapted to pass through the grooves 42 for permitting the pins 45 of the contact members 44 to engage the said wires. 'I'his body member 40 remains in position upon the electric leads and at such time when it becomes necessary to detect whether or not there is trouble in a certain electric circuit the same may be accomplished by engaging a short circuiting member of any desired construction into the recesses 43 so as to engage the ends 44ID of the contact members and short circuit the leads passing through the grooves 42.

While I have illustrated and described the precut-away portions being aligned with each other forming an opening which, in the closed position of said jaws, extends through the jaws at right angles to the length thereof, said opening being of a size to permit an electric wire to pass therethrough when said jaws are in closed position, one of said jaws being formed with an auxiliary opening extended inwards from the base of its U-shaped cut-away portion, and a plurality of pins having their dull ends embedded inthe material of the other jaw at the base `of its respective cut-away portion, said pins having their pointed ends extended across said first-mentioned opening and freely extended into said auxiliary opening when said jaws are in closed position.

CARLOS MANTILLA. 

